Dynamos miss key trio

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Dynamos will be without the influential trio of captain Frank Makarati, vice captain Emmanuel Jalai and midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa for the trip to Chicken Inn this weekend.

Dynamos will be without the influential trio of captain Frank Makarati, vice captain Emmanuel Jalai and midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa for the trip to Chicken Inn this weekend.

The two title chasing sides clash at Barbourfields Stadium on Saturday in a league match both teams are hard pressed to win.

But Dynamos will head into the crucial match without Makarati and Shandirwa due to injuries while Jalai, who rarely misses a match for his club, is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards.

Shandirwa, who has been in and out of the team this term, also missed Dynamos' match against Ngezi Platinum Stars last week.

There is also disappointment for Makarati who is back on the sidelines after he recently recovered from an injury that kept him out of action for the first five matches of the season.

Dynamos coach Genesis Mangombe, who has to win the match to secure his future at the club, admitted that the trio's absence is a major blow for his side.

He, however, is confident that the replacements will do a good job.

"It's a major setback, but it gives us an opportunity to try some new guys who will now have to prove themselves," Mangombe told journalists at the club's weekly press conference yesterday.

"We have boys that want to prove themselves, guys who are desperate to show that they can also play. It's an opportunity for the new players and those that haven't been playing or featuring in the first 11 to show what they can do."

The good news in the Dynamos camp is that young Elton Chikona, who missed the team's recent matches due to an injury, is back in the fold and is expected to play a key role in Bulawayo.

The striker was one of the goal scorers when Dynamos beat Chicken Inn last season.

"He is back," Mangombe confirmed. "I'm happy that he is available and he will be selected in the final 18-men squad."

Dynamos and Chicken Inn are going into the match looking to return back to winning ways following last week's disappointing results.

The Harare giants were held to a thrilling 2-2 draw by defending champions Ngezi Platinum Stars on Sunday, a day after Chicken Inn had been beaten 2-1 at Yadah.

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